Recently, rumors have been circulating on social media that the Punjab interim government has equipped politician Maryam Nawaz Sharif with a signal jammer car. Many netizens have questioned this, believing that Maryam Nawaz does not hold a public office and therefore should not receive such security services.
Background of the rumor
In October, several social media users accused the Punjab interim government of designing a vehicle signal blocker device car specifically for Maryam Nawaz to protect her safety. A user wrote on the X platform (formerly Twitter): "The Punjab caretaker government has provided a signal jammer car to Maryam Nawaz, who has never held a public office but has received such special treatment." The post quickly went viral, receiving more than 900 likes and more than 500 reposts, attracting public attention.
Fact check
- Two officials in Punjab confirmed that a vehicle equipped with a signal jammer system was indeed assigned to Maryam Nawaz's security team. Although Sharif does not hold a public office, he still receives security protection.
- A senior official in the Ministry of Interior said that intelligence reports showed that Maryam Nawaz faced threats from terrorists while campaigning in Punjab on the eve of national elections, so she was assigned a jammer car in October.
- "Our regulations are not targeted at specific individuals. If politicians face threats, we provide them with security," the official explained, adding that the security measure is "temporary" and will be regularly evaluated based on the level of threat and may be adjusted at any time.
The basis for the government to provide signal jammers to politicians
- Geo Fact Check also contacted a senior Punjab police officer to confirm this. The officer said that the regional intelligence committee in Punjab Province has the authority to provide vehicles equipped with signal jamming devices to political or religious figures based on threat assessment reports from the provincial counter-terrorism department and intelligence agencies.
- In addition, Geo Fact Check obtained a copy of the security policy of the Punjab Ministry of Interior for VIPs and super VIPs. The document confirms that the Ministry of Interior can provide security services to political leaders, media figures, businessmen and religious leaders facing urgent security threats from terrorists or sectarian groups.
Based on the above information, although the interim government of Punjab did provide Maryam Nawaz with a network signal jammer, this measure was based on the specific security threats she faced, rather than simple preferential treatment. The discussion triggered by this incident highlights the delicate relationship between security measures and public office status in a complex political environment. When dealing with similar situations, the government's security policy and specific assessment are particularly important.
